I am writing this after one of the most shocking and distressing travel experiences my family has ever faced.
On 4 April 2026, at Kuala Lumpur Terminal 2 (Express Counter W2), between approximately 12:14 PM and 2:11 PM, my father was denied boarding by AirAsia due to alleged “passport damage” — referring to a minor imperfection on a newly issued and fully valid French passport.
This decision was completely unjustified.
We were later able to travel with Batik Air using the exact same passport without any issue, and authorities in Lombok confirmed no concerns had ever been raised.
What made this situation far worse was the behaviour of the staff:
Aggressive tone and raised voice
Mocking and dismissive attitude
Repeated questioning despite clear answers
Threats to remove our luggage
We were treated like criminals in public
This was humiliating.
My father is currently undergoing cancer treatment, yet there was absolutely no empathy shown. The stress and emotional impact were severe — this incident brought members of my family to tears.
Even more concerning, our passports were photographed using what appeared to be a personal mobile phone and allegedly shared externally. We were told this was sent to Lombok authorities, which turned out to be false.
This raises serious concerns about data privacy and professionalism.
As a result:
We were denied boarding
Flights were lost
We had to urgently purchase new tickets at our own expense
We travel internationally very frequently, and this is the first time we have ever experienced such treatment.
This was not just poor service — it was unacceptable, humiliating, and deeply concerning.
I strongly advise travellers to think twice.
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